Recoverable Damages After a Tampa Truck Accident
Collisions involving heavy trucks tend to be among the most catastrophic for those in other, smaller vehicles. Given the massive size disparities between big rigs and just about everything else on the road, it is not surprising that crashes between them regularly produce devastating injuries and losses.
If you have been seriously harmed in an incident of this type, it is wise to align with a determined tractor trailer accident attorney who will fight for every dollar of recoverable damages after a Tampa truck accident and help you begin to heal.
Important Facts About Truck Accidents
According to statistics from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 97 percent of the 3,952 individuals killed in accidents involving a traditional passenger car and a large truck in 2015 were those occupying a passenger vehicle at the time of the crash.
A significant factor in these outcomes is the fact that heavy tractors frequently weigh roughly 20-30 times more and have much greater ground clearance than average-sized cars.
As a result, the ramifications for those involved in accidents with large commercial-style trucks are often extremely dire and the compensation available from negligent parties potentially quite substantial.
Economic Damages in Tampa Truck Accident Cases
Also commonly called compensatory damages, an award of economic recoverable damages after a Tampa truck accident is meant to make the victims financially whole for monetary losses sustained. Among the most typical categories of economic damages available after an event of this sort are:
- Past, present and future medical expenses, encompassing hospitalization, office visits, ambulance service, emergency room costs, diagnostic testing, surgeries and more
- Ongoing physical therapy and rehabilitation services, home accessibility modifications and psychological treatment
- Lost employment wages ascertained by assessing the number of hours missed and the prevailing rate at which they would have been paid
- Reduced earning potential for those whose injuries and resulting disabilities have rendered them unable to return to work in their pre-accident capacity or in any capacity at all
- Lost financial support for the dependents of those killed in truck accidents caused by another party’s negligence
Non-Economic Damages for Victims
In addition to economic recoverable damages after a Tampa truck accident, victims of tractor crashes may also be able to secure so-called non-economic damages meant to provide compensation for intangible types of losses caused by the event in question. Damages of this nature regularly include:
- Payment for physical discomfort, pain, and suffering experienced at the time of the incident, during the recovery period and after
- Emotional distress and psychological trauma including grief, anxiety, embarrassment and the like
- Loss of marital and familial relationships stemming from the physical and emotional limitations caused by the accident event
In some cases, it may also be possible for a Florida tractor accident victim to successfully seek an award of punitive damages. Sometimes referred to as exemplary damages, such compensation is designed to deter and punish extraordinarily wanton, reckless and offensive sorts of negligence that ultimately led to the victim’s injuries, and is awarded on top of the damage classifications described above.
Determining the Value of Truck Collision Losses
It should be noted that the value of certain types of accident losses are easier to pinpoint than others. Calculations of economic damages can be performed by examining wage and hour data, medical bills and similar documentation.
However, arriving at an accurate valuation of non-economic losses often requires the help of subject matter experts including physicians, psychologists, actuaries, and others. An experienced truck accident lawyer will be able to work together with an established network of these professionals to fight for every dollar a victim deserves.
Aggressive Pursuit of Fair Truck Crash Compensation
If you have had the misfortune of being harmed in an accident event involving a heavy truck, your losses are likely mounting fast. To learn more about recoverable damages after a Tampa truck accident and to begin your quest for justice, promptly avail yourself of the guidance only a seasoned injury attorney can provide.